Improvement in transmitters for printing-telegraphs



2 Sheets--Sheet l.

L. T. LINDSEY.

Transmitter for Printing Telegraphs, No.136,250.

Patented Feb. 25, 181 3 [2921.

ud cgxua/M v I samvzls Plwogss) 2 Sheets- -Sheet 2.

L. T. LINDSEY.

'Tra nsmitter for Printing Teiegrap Patented F.eb. 25,1873.

AM P1407011 Tl/DGRAPHI? ca Mr (ossoms man-ms) PATENT QFFICE.

, LANDY TUNS'IALL LINDSEY, OF JACKSON, TENNESSEE.

lMPROVEiViENT lN TRANSMlTTERS FOR PRlNTlNG -TELEGRAFl-i.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 136,250, dated February 25, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, LANDY TUNsrALL LIND- SEY, of Jackson, in the county of Madison and in the State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Transmitting Device for Printing-Telegraph; and

do hereby declare that the following is a full,

clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon making a part of this specification.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a horizontal or plan view. of my device.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same sho wiug on either side an alphabetical knob, a, and its corresponding anvil b. Y O is one terminal of a dissevered line-wire connecting with the metallic frameA, and through it with the metal portions of the knobs a c, upon which the letters A B G, 850., are marked. (1 (Z represent the wires which lead from the anvils b I), respectively, and connect each with an isolated metal section in the ring H. S is a shaft of any printingtelegraph with which my transmitter is to be used, which shaft passes centrally through the circle formed by the metal sections in the ring H, and has fixed thereon a curved spring, or, the tip of which brushes across the surface of the metal sections during its revolution.

In Fig. 3 the reference letters indicate the same parts wherever they occur, the only change being that the alphabetical knobs are arranged in straight parallel rows, and the ring H, detached from immediate proximity thereto, is supported in avertical position upon a pillar, P. This view also shows the arrangement of the interconnecting series of wires, one of which leads from each anvil beneath the alphabetical knobs, and extends to and connects with one of the metal sections of the ring H.

Fig. 4is a section showing one knob and anvii, and their relative position to each other.

My present invention is intended as animprovement upon the Letters Patent granted to me May 3, 1870, No. 102,561. In that case the character-knobs were arranged alphabetically and in circular form, each knob attached to the outer end of a pivoted lever, the inner ends of the levers forming a circle of disconnected points, and a central shaft in said cir cle with an anvil passing over the levers, and i coming in contact with any one of the same only when its knob was depressed. This arrangement of the levers to which the knobs wereattached, forming the circle in which the type-wheel shaft revolved, was found objectionable for several reasons. The knobs had necessarily to be arranged in circular form and alphabetically, or in the same order as the characters appeared on the type-wheel; and it also required the machine itself to be close to the edge of the table, as the typewheel shaft had to pass up through the center of the circle formed by the inner ends of the knob-levers, making the whole thing inconvenient, and confining it to one form only.

In the present case the knobs are made entirely separate from the parts which form the circle in which the shaft revolves, and each knob is provided with an anvil, and this anvil connected by a wire with the corresponding partof the circle, whereby I am enabled to arrange the knobs in any form desired, and in anyorder that may be deemed most advantageous, without regard to the order in which the characters are on the type-wheel; and the machine itself may be located at any desired distance from the key-board.

My invention relates to such printing-telegraphs as are worked on the principles of the Morse and other like systems, which operate by first breaking or opening the circuit of the line, and closing the same only when it is desired to transmit an impulse of electricity; and has for its object to actuate the printing mechanism at the proper time to strike off the letter corresponding with the knob depressed, while the type-wheel is revolved by any of the known and usual means employed for such purpose independent of the means by which the printing mechanism is actuated. To do this I arrange in circular form, as shown in Fig. 1, or in straight parallel rows, as shown in Fig. 3, any series of alphabetical or other charactendesignating knobs, A B O D, 820., each provided separately with an anvil, b, be neath, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Into a ring, H, formed of some insulating substance, I put,

equidistant, and one not touching the other,

a number of small brass or other suitable cona raaeso ducting metallic sections corresponding to the number of anvils employed, and run a-conducting-wire from each metal section within this ring. to and connect it with an anvil. This practically makes each anvil terminate in one of the sections forming the aforesaid circle.

Through the center of this circle, supported in suitable bearings, passes a shaft, S, from the printing-telegraph, upon which is fixed a curved spring, m, the tip of which rests against the inner side of the circle, and when motion is imparted to the shaft S the spring brushes successively across the surface of each metal section during its revolution. The shaft S must be the one upon which the type-wheel of whatever printing-telegraph may be used is fixed; or the type-wheel may be on another shaft connected with it in such a manner that the two shafts will make an equal number of revolutions; and the type-wheel is revolved by any of the means usually employed for that purpose, which rotates the shaft S, thereby causing the spring at to brush over the sectional ring, as above described.

The shaft S is to be electrically connected with the magnet actuating the printing mechanism in any suitable manner. For instance, where the line is short the circuit embracing the alphabetical knobs, anvils, connectingwires, metal sections, and spring may also include the magnets which directly actuate the printing mechanism; but where the length of the line is great, as when connectingremote points, the circuit embracing the alphabetical knobs, &c.,may only include a relay-magnet for each instrument, and the magnet which actuates the printing mechanism be included in a local circuit, which will in turn be closed by the action of the relay-magnet. To this, however, I lay no particular claim.

The alphabetical knobs, through the metal frame A, in which they are supported, represent one end of a dissevered line wire, 0, which is joined to this frame. The spring at represents the other end thereof. The terminals of the line are therefore at A and m.

Each anvil having a corresponding metallic section in the ring H, and these being united, respectively, by means of a conducting-wire, as before explained, these form a series of intercommunicating links, any one of which may be brought into requisition to reunite momentarily the terminals of the line-wire at A and m, and thus restore the circuit. The manner in which this is done maybe thus described: Suppose the shaft S to be in motion, and the spring m thereon to be traveling in its circuit over the surfaces of the metal sections of the ring E. If, now, any oneof the alphabetical knobs be depressed, so as to form contact with its anvil, a metallic connection therewith is established, and the terminal of the line represented at A is prolonged to that metal section in the circle H to which the intercommunicating wire leading from the aforesaid anvil is joined. We have therefore, by the opera.

tion of depressing an alphabetical knob to a contact with its anvil, extended one terminal of the line beyond the frame A to one of the metal sections in the circle H.

As the spring m represents the other terminal of the line-wire, it can readily be seen that, when it is passing across the surface of the metallic section above designated, the circuit is for the time being closed, andthe current will immediately flow, influencing directly or indirectly the printing mechanism.

An illustration of this manner of closing the circuit is afforded by Fig. 3 of the draw; ing, and by reference thereto may be thus traced: One terminal of the line is joined to the frame A; the other terminal to the shaft S. The spring at is seen to be in contact with that metal section which has a conducting -wire leading therefrom to the anvil of the knob D. If, now, this knob be depressed to a contact with its anvil, the circuit of the liuewill be completed, and the current entering at A, thence through the knob D, anvil thereunder, and conducting wire therefrom, to the metal section in the ring H, on which the spring is resting; then through this spring, shaft S, and the frame-work thereof to the other terminal.

The transmitting device, having an equal number of knobs, anvils, and metal sections with the letters, figures, or other characters on the typewheel of an instrument, and the ring H placed over the type-wheel shaft S with the spring an attached to said shaft, and the type-wheel and transmitting device placed in correspondence, it follows that when the circuit is closed on any desired letter, in the manner hereinbefore described, the impression thereof will be immediately imprinted from the type-wheel on the paper by the action of the printing mechanism thus actuated.

An additional advantage claimed is that, each metal section of the ring H being connected with an anvil by means of an intermediate wire extending from one to the other, the alphabetical knobs can be arranged in one or more parallel, semicircular, or circular rows, or in any other convenient or desirable shape, and may be grouped at pleasure promiscuously without reference to alphabetical rotation, so that those letters most needed may be placed where they will be most available,while those less used can be placed at the points more dif ficult to command during manipulation. The wires leading to the metal sections, however, require to connect with them in alphabetical order of succession corresponding to the order observed by the characters on the type-wheel. I am aware that telegraph -machines have heretofore been madein which the keys are worked onehalf in an open and the other half in a closed circuit; also, other machines 'wherethe keys are worked in an entirelyclosed circuit, while my machine is worked with or in a broken circuit. My machine could therefore not be used with either of the other systems,nor could the machines referred to be used with the system on which my machine works. c

Having thus fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

One or more series of transmitting-knobs, a, forming one end, and a shaft, S, with spring an, forming the other end of a broken line, in combination with anvils 11,00nnecting-wires d, and sectional ring H, all arranged substantially as herein described, so that the circuit will be closed when the spring is in contact with any one of the sections of the ring and the corresponding knob depressed, for the purposes set forth. 4

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of May, 1872.

' L. T. LINDSEY.

Witnesses:

(J. L. EVERT, A. N. MARE. 

